---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Preconceived notions are the locks on the…"
description: "\"Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.\" — Merry Brown"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cb/merry-brown-262324_locks_preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-th_1122383.jpg"
---

#  Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.

![“Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.” quote by Merry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cb/merry-brown-262324_locks_preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-th_1122383.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cb/merry-brown-262324_locks_preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-th_1122383.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cb/merry-brown-262324_locks_preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-th_1122383.jpg)

> “Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.”

[Merry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-brown/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Preconceived ideas block access to true understanding, acting like locked doors.

**In simple terms:** Biases prevent wisdom.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions to gain insight.

Themes

wisdom knowledge bias open‑mindedness

Mood

reflective inquisitive

Type

locks:1 notions:1 preconceived:1 preconceived notions:1 wisdom:1 door wisdom:0 notions locks:0

When to use this quote

- education
- personal development
- critical thinking

Key Concepts

preconceptions mental barriers learning

Questions to Reflect On

- What locks are you holding?
- How can you unlock deeper insight?

A Different Perspective

Locking oneself in can limit growth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Door Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/door-wisdom-795016/) [Locks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locks/) [Notions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notions/) [Notions Locks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notions-locks-3042208/) [Preconceived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preconceived/) [Preconceived notions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preconceived-notions/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/)

## Related quotes

> [I understand people have preconceived notions of who I am or what I do. But I do find it a bit bizarre that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/i-understand-people-have-preconceived-notions-of-who-i-am-or-what-i/)

[Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/)

> [A lot of preconceived notions that I had about fame and status and money and joy and pain, and all of these things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/a-lot-of-preconceived-notions-that-i-had-about-fame-and-status-and/)

[Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/)

> [I have no preconceived notions of what SBA programs work or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/i-have-no-preconceived-notions-of-what-sba-programs-work-or-not/)

[Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/)

> [Being called 'conscious' is a great thing to be, but it's the connotations and preconceived notions that come with the buying audience about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/being-called-conscious-is-a-great-thing-to-be-but-it-s-the/)

[Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/)

> [“Not to burst your preconceived notions of me, but do I look like I care?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/not-to-burst-your-preconceived-notions-of-me-but-do-i-look-like-i-care/)

[Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/)

> [I understand people have preconceived notions of who I am or what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/i-understand-people-have-preconceived-notions-of-who-i-am-or-what-i-do/)

[Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/)

> [When I wrote 'The Rozabal Line,' I had no preconceived notions of what a commercial bestseller should be. I have always viewed 'The Rozabal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/when-i-wrote-the-rozabal-line-i-had-no-preconceived-notions-of-what-a/)

[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> ['Crash' is a movie about the racial tension that still exists in America. A lot of us pretend that we don't have preconceived notions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larenz-tate/crash-is-a-movie-about-the-racial-tension-that-still-exists-in/)

[Larenz Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larenz-tate/)

> [I wanted to make it a really strong point to not watch 'Battlestar Galactica' before starting 'Caprica' because I was afraid it was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magda-apanowicz/i-wanted-to-make-it-a-really-strong-point-to-not-watch-battlestar/)

[Magda Apanowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magda-apanowicz/)

> [People have a preconceived notion about who I am and it's interesting. It's like picking who you want to win for the Oscars and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-bynes/people-have-a-preconceived-notion-about-who-i-am-and-it-s-interesting/)

[Amanda Bynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-bynes/)

> [When your mind tries to verify a preconceived notion you can miss the obvious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/when-your-mind-tries-to-verify-a-preconceived-notion-you-can-miss-the/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [I just think music is so intrinsically linked with images in the culture that we live in that youll be hard-pressed to have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esperanza-spalding/i-just-think-music-is-so-intrinsically-linked-with-images-in-the/)

[Esperanza Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esperanza-spalding/)

> [I don't think an NC-17 rating is the kiss of death. Nor do I think that, in the hands of the right filmmakers, studios…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-tisch/i-don-t-think-an-nc-17-rating-is-the-kiss-of-death-nor-do-i-think/)

[Steve Tisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-tisch/)

> [I go into meetings, and people have this preconceived notion of me that I didn't work hard to get where I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-conrad/i-go-into-meetings-and-people-have-this-preconceived-notion-of-me/)

[Lauren Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-conrad/)

> [“But everyone is trouble, I want to say. And everyone has preconceived notions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-blakely/but-everyone-is-trouble-i-want-to-say-and-everyone-has-preconceived/)

[Lauren Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-blakely/)

## More Locks quotes

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/)

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

> [Closing his eyes, he sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening, asking please, for God's sake, stop sending him signals that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/closing-his-eyes-he-sent-up-a-prayer-to-anyone-who-was-listening/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. This Dark Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-dark-ages-still-reign-over-all-humanity-and-the-depth-and/)

[R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/)

> [ I wanted to play in New York when I was in my prime and I was young, fierce, lock-down \[defender\]. Madison Square Garden, that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-wanted-to-play-in-new-york-when-i-was-in-my-prime-and-i-was-young/)

[Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/)

> [I decided to lock myself in. A forced segregation. Sabbatical. A retreat into myself. My selves. Play hide and go seek in the looking-glass.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/i-decided-to-lock-myself-in-a-forced-segregation-sabbatical-a-retreat/)

[Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/)

> [When you're unhinged, things make their way out of you that should be kept inside, and other things get in that ought to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/when-you-re-unhinged-things-make-their-way-out-of-you-that-should-be/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elayne-boosler/i-have-six-locks-on-my-door-all-in-a-row-when-i-go-out-i-lock-every/)

[Elayne Boosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elayne-boosler/)

> [People say, 'I love 'Snatch,' I love 'Lock Stock,' but I want to be more than a movie name. I'd love to be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinnie-jones/people-say-i-love-snatch-i-love-lock-stock-but-i-want-to-be-more-than/)

[Vinnie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinnie-jones/)

> [Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/karma-is-often-wrongly-confused-with-the-notion-of-a-fixed-destiny-it/)

[Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/)

> [I don't think a day has gone past in 10 years where someone hasn't said, 'What did you do with those guns from Lock,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-flemyng/i-don-t-think-a-day-has-gone-past-in-10-years-where-someone-hasn-t/)

[Jason Flemyng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-flemyng/)

> ['cause haters wanna shoot, everything that shine So I'm prepared, to lock and load my rhymes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ol-dirty-bastard/cause-haters-wanna-shoot-everything-that-shine-so-i-m-prepared-to/)

[Ol' Dirty Bastard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ol-dirty-bastard/)

> [God, his chin. She wanted to make an honest woman of his chin. She wanted to lock it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/god-his-chin-she-wanted-to-make-an-honest-woman-of-his-chin-she/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [The reason they invented coffins, to lock the dead in, preserve them, they put makeup on them; they didn't want them spreading or changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-reason-they-invented-coffins-to-lock-the-dead-in-preserve-them/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [I read a lot. I always have, but in those two years I gorged myself on books with a voluptuous, almost erotic gluttony. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/i-read-a-lot-i-always-have-but-in-those-two-years-i-gorged-myself-on/)

[Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/)

[Browse all 672 Locks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locks/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Merry Brown"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-brown/preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-the-door-to-wisdom/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Locks"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-brown/preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-the-door-to-wisdom/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cb/merry-brown-262324_locks_preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-th_1122383.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cb/merry-brown-262324_locks_preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-th_1122383.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cb/merry-brown-262324_locks_preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-th_1122383.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.” — Merry Brown",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Merry Brown",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-brown/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Preconceived notions are the locks on...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-brown/preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-the-door-to-wisdom/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-brown/preconceived-notions-are-the-locks-on-the-door-to-wisdom/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
